17 April 1978

Christian love – and here lies the fathomless mystery and hidden power which, when engaged, can work miracles – is different from any other kind of love in the world, no matter how noble or beautiful. Christian love has a divine origin, the very love of God shared with humankind, which when grafted onto people, makes them children of God.This is the requirement for and cause of a unique reality: human fraternity on a higher plane, supernatural brotherhood and sisterhood.

Rocca di Papa, October 25, 1982

Commetary on the Word of Life: «Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.» (LK 3:4)

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Lk 3:4)

During this season of Advent we are invited to live a new Word of Life. The evangelist Luke takes it from the book of Isaiah, the prophet of consolation. For the first Christians it was a reference to John the Baptist, who came before Jesus.In the time leading up to Christmas, the Church presents us with the figure of the Forerunner, John the Baptist, and invites us to rejoice, because he is like the herald of the King who is about to come.The time is near when God will fulfil his promises, forgive sins and grant salvation.

July 24, 1949

At the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis, the following text by Chiara Lubich is very appropriate, taken from the writings known as “Paradise 1949”.

Those who are in the Father by God’s pure mercy, having come through a long course of sinning, are equal before God to the innocent who are there on the strength of loving.Indeed, in the very moment when, recognizing themselves as sinners, they rejoiced in being like him made sin (loving God more than their own soul and this is pure love), they filled the entire void made by sin.

Paris, November 15, 2016 on the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Prize for “Peace Education”given to Chiara Lubich.

Chiara Lubich received the UNESCO prize for “Peace Education” in Paris on December 17,1996. She was given this prize because as stated, “In an age when ethnic and religious differences often lead to violent conflicts, this Movement builds bridges between individuals, generations, social classes and peoples”.Twenty years later, almost a year after the terrorist attack in Paris and at a time when wars and armed conflicts cause horror and destruction in many parts of the world, the Focolare Movement, together with the General Directorate of UNESCO and the Permanent Observer of the Holy See, intends to reaffirm and witness commitment towards unity and peace in the same venue.

14th October 1946

The Word of Life for November “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13) invites us to be in trustful conversation with God. The following text is taken from a letter Chiara Lubich wrote during the “early times” to two religious Sisters in Rovereto.

There, in the centre of your heart, Sister Josefina, is where God lives! There, in the centre of your heart, Sister Fidente, is where God lives! Place your hand over your heart. You are tabernacles of the living God.

Rocca di Papa, 19 February 1998

Journalist: Chiara, my first question is on interreligious dialogue, the dialogue the Focolare Movement proposes and has with people from different faith traditions and religions.Chiara: There is the fact that Jesus by coming down on earth redeemed the whole of humanity: every person. He also established the Church, but His redemption had an effect on everyone. So everyone could have the possibility of being saved, if they live according to their right conscience. Knowing this, we approach people of other faiths conscious of the possibility that tomorrow may find them in Heaven and perhaps not us!

Berlin (Memorial Church), 19 November 1998

Chiara visited Germany in 1998, from 1st November to 13 December, spending time at Aachen, Münster, Augsburg and then in Berlin at the invitation of the Evangelical Church community. In her address, part of which is published below, Chiara points to the law of love as the master key to unity among Christians and to dialogue with all people of faith.

The plain fact is that if we Christians now, at the dawn of the third millennium, take a good look back at our 2000 years of history and particularly at the last millennium, we cannot fail to be saddened by what we see: a painful succession of misunderstandings, arguments and conflicts. These have caused many rips and tears in the “seamless robe of Christ”, which is His Church. And whose fault is this? Without doubt, countless historical, cultural, geo-political, social factors have played their part .... But could it also be due to a weakening among Christians of their characteristic unifying bond of love? I think so.

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